Singapore, textile design
The textile artist loves details
LINES IN SPACE II expands the potential of embroidery techniques, in creating 3-dimensional forms. Embroidery is usually seen as a surface embellishment, rather than a form-making technique. Challenging this, Loy applies her tacit knowledge in textile construction to create a series of experimental embroidered forms.
PASTICHE is One of the three winning entries in a competition organized by W. Atelier and Zanotta, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Sacco, a hand-painted and woven skin for the sacco. The technique employed was a contemporary interpretation of Ikat – the yellow zigzag motif was painted on white yarn before it is woven with blue yarn.
KARASANDO is a series of linen fabric and washi paper collages designed exclusively for Grafunkt, handcrafted in Kyoto by Kojima Orimono. This series of ‘colour sandwiches’, comprise of hand-torn Japanese washi paper, laid out and sandwiched between 2 layers of loosely woven linen fabric. The linen fabrics on both sides are in different colours, and they alter the appearance of the washi papers in between.
TEXTILE TRANSMUTATIONS – This exploratory project is about augmenting regular fabrics into unique 3D surfaces. An industrial-craft approach was used to produce these pieces at a small scale, efficient and consistent enough to be repeated for batch production. Iterations of experiments led to the technique of using heat and customised molds to create embossed patterns. The molds were designed to be modified quickly, so a variety of patterns can be produced without making a completely new set of tools.
So detailed is Tiffany Loy's work, you can't help indulging in the act of observing
HER TEXTILE WEAVE is seen on glass. Tiffany Loy was one of the winners of the global Bombay Sapphire Glass Design back in 2019. Her design harnessed a weaver’s eye in the sculptural finish to glass that caught a lot of attention. Today her weaving continues in the realm of textile where her strengths have found a focus.
Her learning years started at NUS in Industrial Design, then progressed to textile weaving in Kyoto, and culminating in an MA in Textiles from the Royal College of Art. Through her creations, the young artist in her 30’s explores the fundamental relationships between elements of materiality like colour, structure, and tension. Textile is not limited to two-dimensions and its sculptural magic can translate as boldly as any other material from metal to glass to wood to ceramics.
After starting her studio, Loy has since taken part in exhibitions all over the world. Her recent ones include London, Seoul, and Tokyo. The artist has not gone unnoticed capturing the Design Anthology Award (Textiles) recently.
A Chat with Textile Artist Tiffany Loy
Nature inspires so many artists. What work of yours is inspired by nature?
I do love plants – leaves more than flowers, and I find their textures intriguing. However most of my work is a result of experimentation in colour, material, and technique, so I can’t really say any of it is inspired by nature. My recent embroidered works resemble sea creatures, but they were in fact intended to be abstract.
There are a few parallels between you and Anni Albers (the influential Bauhaus textile artist) in both the weave and the design structure. Do do you get ideas from her work?
Though I don’t get ideas from her woven work, her written work resonates with me – her opinion on weaving as design rather than craft, and the gender stereotypes around weaving.
What are you working on at the moment?
On the research front, I’m exploring applications of fine and high-twist silk yarns to create new surface designs. On the commercial front, I create commissioned art pieces and design collectibles.
What are your favourite textiles and colours to work with?
I don’t have a favorite colour, because it all depends on how and where colours are applied. It’s the same for materials. Silk yarns are great for bringing out strong colours while wool yarns always have an element of warmth and earthiness. My material choices depend on the nature of the project.
You trained in Japan for some time. Is there a traditional textile form of the country that you like?
I admire the meticulousness and accuracy in Japanese weaving. The techniques in loom setup (how warp yarns are measured and tied on to the loom) ensure a great degree of accuracy when matching up pre-dyed patterns on the yarns before weaving.
How do you relax? What is your favourite Singapore food?
I walk a lot. Walking helps me think clearly and expel excess energy.
Food: Hainanese chicken rice, because I’m Hainanese.
